Lydia Padilla: TRC Staffing Services Inc.

Lydia Padilla is a success because her recruiting franchise, TRC Staffing Services Inc., has been the most profitable among the parent company’s 40 franchises for the last 28 months. And in five of the 11 years she has owned it, she has increased year-over-year sales 150 percent or more.

At TRC, she has specialized in bilingual recruiting. She said she places about 500 contract staffers a year; about 25 percent of them are fluent in another language. “I want to continue to be ahead of company labor and talent trends and strategies,” she said, “and to help my customers maintain correct staffing levels at all times.”

Born and raised in San Diego, Padilla is a fourth-generation Hispanic with Spanish and Mexican heritage on both sides of her family. She began working in recruiting for Remedy Intelligent Staffing in San Juan Capistrano in 1990. She was promoted to vice president of the Memphis market, a position she held from 1995 to 2000.

She always wanted to go out on her own and knew she “wanted to be in a bigger city, with professional sports,” she said. TRC was the right fit. She liked the company, and the St. Louis market was available.

Padilla, 41, and her husband, Christopher Salinas, moved here 11 years ago, and she quickly became entrenched in the community and in service to it.

She has served as vice president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis and is past president of the Hispanic Chamber’s St. Louis Foundation, which provides college scholarships and training. She was appointed to the St. Louis Workforce Investment Board by Mayor Francis Slay. She also has served as board secretary of the YWCA Metro St. Louis and as chair of the YWCA Circle of Women.

“What makes her one of the top leaders in St. Louis — Hispanic or otherwise — is that she has commitment, passion and vision,” said Jorge Riopedre, executive director of wellness center Casa de Salud, who served with Padilla on the board of the Hispanic Chamber and its foundation.

For example, Padilla has been a mentor to the same girl for seven years through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. “How many people do you know who would have that kind of commitment with the workload she has?” Riopedre asked.